ProViScout will demonstrate the combination of vision-based autonomous sample identification & sample selection with terrain hazard analysis for a long range scouting/exploration mission on a terrestrial planet. It brings together major European groups currently working on planetary robotic vision, supported by NASA-JPL from USA.

Most robotic planetary space missions performing in situ exploration of the surface and atmosphere for any planetary object outside the Earth involve a means of mobility provided by either a surface vehicle ( rover ) or by aerial vehicles (balloons, aerobots etc.). Mobile systems are among the most critical of all space missions in requiring a rapid and robust on-site processing and preparation of scientific data to allow efficient operations for a maximum use of their limited lifetime. In future the number and variety of such platforms will require more autonomy than is feasible today, particularly in the autonomous on-site selection of and access to scientific and mission-strategic targets. ProViScout will provide the robotic vision building blocks on board of such future autonomous exploration systems.

Therefore ProViScout aims to

build a framework for planetary robotic on-board vision processing,

develop the technology to autonomously select scientific sites of interest during future planetary robotic missions in order to maximize the mission value for scientific research, technology and education

develop a unified and generic approach for robotic vision on-board processing, namely the combination of navigation and scientific target selection

demonstrate the synergies and complementarities of existing solutions, and complete missing components by defining and demonstrating on-board robotic vision for a set of typical reference mission scenarios,

integrate all components into a framework ready for field demonstration